Duncan's Game
by LemonSupreme
Summary: This CHARLOE one-shot begins at the point in Episode 2.13 (Happy Endings) where Bass and Duncan are talking in the bar of the casino. AU from there. FYI There is no Connor/Charlie hook up in the story that follows (and shouldn't have been in the show IMO, but whatever – ha). MA for the usual sex related reasons. **Duncan may be in the title, but this is CHARLOE all the way**


**Author's Note: This CHARLOE one-shot begins at the point in Episode 2.13 (Happy Endings) where Bass and Duncan are talking in the bar of the casino. AU from there. FYI There is no Connor/Charlie hook up in the story that follows (and shouldn't have been in the show IMO, but whatever – ha). MA for the usual sex related reasons. **Duncan may be in the title, but this is CHARLOE all the way****

"You're out of your mind. Ten a head." Bass counters Duncan's offer of thirty diamonds per mercenary. There is no way they can come up with thirty a head – not if they want to take enough guys back to Willoughby to make a difference against the Patriots.

Duncan's gaze is steely, "Thirty diamonds a head."

"Come on, cut me a break here. Twenty?" He pauses, but when she stays quiet, he says "twenty-five?"

She shakes her head ever so slightly, not willing to budge. "Thirty." Her tone says this argument is over.

The problem is that Monore knows they can't afford her price, not if they are going to get what they need. The phrase 'stuck between a rock and a hard place' runs through his head. He sighs, flashing her a charming smile, "Come on Duncan, for old times' sake?"

"Old times, huh?" Duncan leans back and watches Bass for a moment. Her expression is equal parts thoughtful and conniving. "We must be remembering the old times differently." She tilts her head to one side, "For instance, I remember you being a complete asshat. We could have had something pretty special but you were too caught up in your own head. You were not nice to me." She is frowning at the memories.

Monroe shifts nervously. She's right. He had not treated her well back then. He had known how she felt about him at the time, but had not been willing to give her what she wanted. She had wanted him to love her, but he had decided he wouldn't/shouldn't put his heart out there – and so he hadn't. He'd left instead. He knew that when he left, Duncan's heart (and yes, she had one) was probably going to break. It had been so long ago though… he was truly surprised at how much this seems to still be bothering her.

Duncan's eyes are boring into his. He is looking back without flinching, and he sees the change in her expression as a new idea dawns. "Okay, so you want to use some of my men, but you clearly don't have enough diamonds to pay what I'm asking, right?" H nods warily before she continues, "Hmmmm We'll just have to figure out some other form of payment…" Her mouth forms a cunning smile. Bass feels a chill of trepidation.

"Now Duncan, I know I haven't always been the best guy, but I think we had some good times. " He tries to smile, but fails. This is not going well.

"Yeah. Well in spite of all these 'good times' you so fondly recall; I've thought of a way we could maybe come to an agreement." After a pause, she continues, "You remember how I used to entertain myself back then, don't you?"

He remembers. He swallows hard. "Your games," he says quietly as he begins to wonder if coming here was such a good idea after all. Clearing his throat, Monroe continues, "I'm not interested in being a pawn in one of your crazy ass games, not even for a bargain on mercenaries."

Duncan's eyes are cold. "Everyone has a price Sebastian. I bet I can find one that you will be able to agree to." He shakes his head, but she continues, "How about this? I'll give you thirty of my best men at no charge – if you play one of my special little games. Here. Tonight."

Bass wants to say no. His brain is telling him to say no. He is well aware that this will not end well for him if he decides to say yes. Duncan's games never end well for anyone other than Duncan. She has a vengeful nature, a twisted outlook, a sadistic streak and a very creative imagination. Her games always brought her much joy, but always at the expense of others.

He groans. They really need those killers. "What do you have in mind? Fighting an armed crazy person? Surviving a pit of snakes?"

She shakes her head, "No, no, no… You know how I operate. You agree first. Terms come later."

Bass watches her for a moment before reaching out his hand for her to shake, "Alright Duncan, I'll play one of your sadistic little games tonight in exchange for fifty of your killers – at no charge."

Raising an eyebrow, Duncan says, "Fifty? I said thirty."

"Yeah, but I know what your games can be like. Fifty or no deal."

"Fine. Fifty." She grins wickedly. "Oh this is going to be fun – Old times indeed." Bass watches her stand and turn away from him. Laughing she heads toward the exit. Just before she steps out, she turns and says, "Meet me back here in two hours Sebastian. Come alone, and be ready to have some fun."

Bass goes to their camp and finds only Connor, who is fast asleep in the back of the wagon. Monroe leaves him where he is, grabs his pack and heads back into New Vegas. The truth is he's glad that Connor and Charlie are not together. He's noticed that they are getting along fairly well. That's good, he supposes, but surprisingly he also finds that he's jealous of Connor's relationship (budding though it may be) with Charlie.

Charlie. He sees her in his head. Lately he's been drawn to her in ways he can't really explain. He sometimes finds himself in the middle of an erotic Charlie fantasy without even remembering what started it. He's not sure when this started, and he doesn't want to delve into those feelings too deeply, but he knows something is there. Something he needs to push to the back of his head and not think about – not now anyway. No good can come from Bass being interested in Charlie, can it?

Though he's glad that she wasn't with Connor, Bass had hoped to find Charlie and explain the deal he's made with Duncan. He wants to warn Charlie to keep her distance tonight. He doesn't know what is in store for him, but he knows it won't be pretty. Charlie has a habit of getting into the middle of things. He doesn't want her anywhere near Duncan's stupid game.

Monroe looks all over New Vegas for the next hour and does not find her. He's worried, but knows she can usually take care of herself so when the time comes – he heads back to the casino. He's on edge, but knows that whatever is coming – it must be done. He squares his shoulders as he enters her bar at the back of the casino. "We need those fifty killers," he mutters to himself.

The bar is completely empty when he enters, but as if on cue one of Duncan's whores slips through a hidden door in the wall before Bass. Monroe is surprised, as he didn't know the door was even there. "Duncan has asked that I welcome you," the woman says before disappearing through the hidden panel again. Bass follows, noting that the woman is old for her chosen profession. Her skin is weathered, her eyes look dead.

Soon they are in a small dank room. Duncan is there. "Hello Sebastian. Glad you could make it."

"So, what's the game?" he asks tensely. "Just tell me."

"Tsk tsk. Be patient. I'm getting to it." She seems relaxed. Based on the size of her pupils, she's been smoking something. Maybe that's good. Mellow Duncan has to be better than pissed off Duncan especially when she's in Game Master mode.

When he doesn't say anything more, she continues, "Your mission is very simple really. You're going to fuck - while an audience watches, cheering and jeering your every move."

Bass throws his head back and laughs, "You want me to have sex with you in front of an audience? What exactly do you think they would be jeering? It's been a while, but surely you remember how satisfied I left you." He shakes his head at her, still chuckling. His whole body has relaxed. Clearly Duncan is losing her edge. This is child's play compared to her usual debauchery.

"Silly Sebastian, it's not me." She is stoned, but he can still see the glimmer of something sinister in her glance. "I said you have to fuck someone. I haven't yet told you who." Duncan leads the way through another doorway. He follows as does the old whore. He looks over at her and she licks her lips in his direction and raises her eye brows suggestively. She's missing a few teeth and he shudders. "Oh hell."

They walk single file down a dark corridor before spilling out into a small theatre. It is round, with chairs and rickety bleachers surrounding a dark ring. Every seat appears to be full. A cage borders the shadowy stage in the middle. Monroe guesses that this place is usually reserved for some kind of extreme fighting. The epic blood stains that nobody has bothered to clean, tell Bass that the fighting usually done here is probably not legal – not even in New Vegas - thus the hidden entrance.

As they get closer, he takes notice of the people, and there are a lot of them – sitting around ready to watch whatever is coming next. The whore raises a leathery arm to get everyone's attention. She yells, "Welcome to Duncan's Game". The crowd explodes with cheers and drunken laughter.

"What have I gotten myself into?" Bass wonders to himself as the torches are brought out by rough looking men, who place them in even intervals around the ring. Now lit eerily, Monroe sees the detail formerly hidden in darkness. Center stage is an ornate iron bed. It's covered in clean blue bedding. The beautiful bed is completely incongruous to the filth that lies all around it, but it isn't the bed that makes his breath catch in fear.

Charlie. He sees her before she sees him. She's standing beside the bed, staring blankly into space – ignoring the cheers and wolf whistles now filling the arena. Duncan has dressed Charlie for her game. She's wearing a black lace bustier and thong and nothing else. Her legs are long and lean. Her breasts are round and bulging from the top of the tiny outfit. Her body shimmers in the flickering glow. She holds her head high and proud. Hair cascades in lazy curls down her back.

Charlie spots Monroe as Duncan leads him to her. Bass sees a flash of relief on Charlie's face. He realizes in a heartbeat that she thinks he's here to save her. He is overwhelmed by dread, as he has already figured out that escape in any form is not something Duncan will allow.

"What are you doing here?" he harshly whispers when they are face to face. Even under these awful circumstances, he's having a hard time not looking at her breasts. Damn she is beautiful.

"I made a deal with Duncan for some of her men. I just don't really know what the deal is yet. I think you got here just in time. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea." Charlie moves closer to him, still having no idea what's coming next. He feels a stirring in his belly, a tightening in his groin. This is bad. He has wanted to be with Charlie for months, but not like this. Never like this. His body is betraying him.

"Yeah, about that deal." He pauses, catching her gaze, "I made a deal with her too. That's why I'm here."

Bass sees her hope for escape fade. Her eyes go cold again. She nods. "What the hell is the deal anyway?" She eyes the bed for the first time, "Why is that bed here?" She looks up at Bass, her eyes are round with surprise. He can tell that the question is rhetorical. She's figured out Duncan's game.

"Excellent question Young Lady," Duncan's voice carries and the crowd stills in anticipation. "Let me tell you both the rules of today's game, and the purpose of the bed will soon be clear." She smiles wickedly at them both, "I know you're going to love it."

The whore appears, pushing a large wheeled chalk board. It's the kind of thing that used to be in classrooms. The chalkboard has been covered by an old quilt. Duncan stands before it, holding a whip in her hands. "Hello All, I'd like you to meet Sebastian and Charlotte. They will be our players today." The crowd erupts in applause. She holds up a hand for silence. "These two fine citizens have agreed to play the game of my choice in return for some of my men for hire. I have agreed to these terms. We have a verbal contract. That contract cannot be broken."

"Rules! Rules! Rules!" a chant starts quietly in the crowd and quickly swells to a roar.

With a flourish, Duncan removes the quilt. "Here they are! The rules for today's game." She points to each with the whip as she reads them off.

"Rule #1: These two must have sex while we watch." More raucous cheers can be heard. "Rule #2: The better their performance, the more men they will earn to help fight there little war. Rule #3: If either of them try to back out, they will both still have sex today – but with someone else. Hey Cotton, you up for it?" More cheers erupt as she points to an enormous bearded man on the edge of the ring. He is a giant and he looks Bass and then Charlie both up and down. He nods and smiles. Cheers echo off the walls. "Rule #4: Be creative. If you aren't entertaining us with your moves, or if you get done too soon," Duncan leers at Bass, "then I'll bring in Cotton just to spice things up. Believe me, he knows how to add spice. Bottom line is that we need to be entertained. So entertain us!"

Bass can feel the tension rolling off of Charlie in waves. She is keeping it together, but just barely. She looks at him and licks her lips nervously. His body responds, betraying him again. Duncan leaves the ring, the whore following closely behind. The big guy named Cotton stands guard at the now locked gate. He holds a rifle and is watching Bass and Charlie as if they are his lunch.

Monroe turns to her and touches her cheek. "I'm sorry Charlie. I really am."

She responds by putting her hands around his neck. "Well, let's get this over with." She frowns, not meeting his gaze, "but not too quickly, you know? That Cotton guy scares the hell out of me."

"Me too." He leans down and kisses her awkwardly. They both hear the crowd yelling for more, and the kiss deepens. She is responding, and although he is sure it's just for the audience; his cock is hardening with every swirl of her tongue.

He pulls away from the kiss, his mouth moving to her ear. "This isn't… It's not… I didn't know this was what she had in mind." She can barely hear him over the noise in the bleachers. Her hands slowly work down his back and she grasps his ass, pulling her to him. He feels her freeze when his erection is suddenly pressed into her belly. "I'm sorry." He says again, his own hands trailing over her bare shoulders.

Charlie's voice is breathy. "You don't feel sorry." She moves subtlety against him, her body caressing his hard on, her hands moving from his ass to the hem of his shirt. She pulls it up over his head.. "You don't feel sorry at all."

Bass is having a hard time focusing. He is trying to gauge the room, keep his eyes open for any trouble, but all he can think about is Charlie's body pressing into his. This is torture. "Charlotte." His voice is scratchy and unsure.

She's using her mouth to trail kisses along his collar bone. He can feel her hot breath on his skin as she says, "God I love when you call me Charlotte."

He gets that she's just saying this to keep him on task. Charlie is so much tougher than most will give her credit for. She knows they need those guys. She knows neither one of them wants Cotton to feel he need to get involved. She's brushing aside her own hatred for him so that they can get this ordeal behind them. He's proud of her, but also disgusted with himself. If he's totally honest, he has to admit he's wanted her for a long time. He's wanted to touch her, to move inside her. This isn't how he wanted it to happen of course, but at least part of him isn't hating it either.

"What?" she asks. "What did you say?" her hands have moved to his belt and Monroe's breath catches as she unbuckles his pants, releasing his hard cock.

He's not even sure he knows what she's talking about. His hands are now at her back. He's removing her bustier and looking at her perfect round breasts. Her nipples are hard and he wants to taste them. "I said this isn't how I wanted it to happen."

She stops moving. He stops too. They are both breathing heavily and their eyes lock. He is shocked to see raw desire in her expression. She's not faking this, not all of it anyway. "What do you mean?" she asks. "You mean you wanted this to happen? You wanted me?"

"Not like this. Never like this." He looks in her eyes. He sees his own need reflected there. "But yeah. I know I shouldn't but I do want you…" he leans in to kiss her again. This kiss is hungry. Their mouths are angling over each other. Tongues fight for new territory. He feels like he is melting into her, "I've wanted you for a long time. For too long."

She pulls away again. Her eyes are deep pools of need. "You're not the only one Bass. I want it too."

And with that, no more words are necessary. They silently agree to ignore the cat calls and cheers echoing around the arena. They focus only on each other and the pleasure they are sharing. His hands are at her breasts. He kneads them firmly, lightly pinching her nipples. She cries out and arches her back as he suckles one and then the other. Her hands shakily move his pants down over his hips. His mouth is now on her throat. He sucks lightly at the flesh there. She has his bare ass in her hands, squeezing his muscled backside, pulling his hardness against her belly again. Without warning she takes him in her fist. She watches his face as she jacks his cock slowly. At first his eyes are closed, his expression is ecstatic. When he does look down at her, Monroe's eyes are hooded and lusty. "You have to stop that. We have to make this last, and I can't promise anything if you keep that up." His voice is shaky.

She smiles a little and nods, letting go. He picks her up like she weighs nothing and takes her over to the bed. He is immediately on top of her, once again devouring her mouth with his own. Then he begins to move down, trailing kisses from her throat to her navel. She is writhing under his touch, his mouth, his fingers – all finding nerve endings she didn't know she had. When he puts a thumb under her thong and pulls it aside, the flimsy fabric tears. Impatient, he jerks the remaining scrap from her body with a rip – tossing it onto the floor. He pulls her legs apart and moves to taste her. She is so wet, and her scent drives Bass over the edge. He sucks and nibbles and licks her until he can feel her orgasm building. He slides two fingers deep into her wetness and strokes in and out as she lets go. Her walls clench around his fingers and he keeps stroking until she's ridden out the last of her orgasm. He moves back up her body, kissing her lips lightly, reverently. He worships her body with his hands, reviewing every inch of her flesh with feather light caresses. Her nerves are raw, but she feels the need returning. "Bass" she moans into his kiss.

He shifts his weight to one side, taking his hard cock in hand; he moves it slowly up and down her wet slit. He is throbbing with need. Charlie is aching for him. They are both ready. "Charlotte" he breathes lovingly into her ear as he pushes his rigid dick home. Slowly he moves in and out, filling her with his girth. She is so tight. He can't remember any woman ever fitting him so perfectly. He never wants this to end. He knows in this moment that this isn't just sex – there is something more here. "Charlotte" he says again, thrusting deeper, moving faster. She's moving with him. Together they have built a perfect rhythm, and they both sense that the buildup is almost complete. The sound of their bodies slapping together is the only thing they hear. Sex and sweat is all they smell. Their eyes are locked, and as the tension builds, all they see is each other. When she comes, she thinks her whole body will shatter. Never before has Charlie experienced such a mind blowing orgasm. She's coming down from it slowly, shudderingly when she feels him tense. Bass moves her legs over his shoulders, managing a deeper angle for those last few forceful thrusts. Finally, he buries his cock in her depths and cries out, "Charlotte" one more time. She feels his seed spurting into her core. She wraps her legs around him tightly, not even a little prepared to let him go. He falls panting on top of her, supporting the bulk of his weight on shaky elbows. They are both breathing hard, sweaty and totally satisfied.

"Wow." He says softly into her ear. He moves to disengage, but her long lean legs are holding him in place.

"No" she whispers. "Don't leave me yet. I love feeling you inside me. Now that I know how good you feel buried inside me…"

"Yeah?" he asks her with a tired smile. "So you're saying it feels good?"

"So good." She smiles too, and reaches to him for a kiss, "I'm going to need more of this. A lot more."

"I think that can be arranged." He's kissing her back, still sunk into her to the hilt. He's thinking that this is what heaven must feel like, when he's brought back to reality.

Clapping. He hears clapping. She stiffens, hearing it too. They move apart reluctantly, his cock sliding out of her heat. He feels suddenly bereft, and reaches for her hand. She takes it. Her other hand is now grasping the sheet across her nakedness. They are both staring at Duncan who is walking toward them. She is the one clapping. She doesn't look all that happyl

"What happened?" Bass asks. Confusion is written all over his face. "We kept our end of the deal. You can't back out now."

"Calm down Sebastian. I'm not backing out of anything. Your men are waiting for you, all eighty of them."

"Eighty? I only asked for fifty."

"Yes, your deal was for fifty. Hers," Duncan points at Charlie, "was for twenty-five." Duncan shrugs. "I threw in five extra because you definitely kept your end of the bargain."

Charlie is looking around the arena. "Not that I really wanted an audience, but where did they all go?"

Bass looks up now too. Sure enough, the arena is empty. "What the hell?"

"Here's the thing. When I saw you two at first… when you," she points at Charlie, "pulled that gun on me…" Duncan shrugs. "I could tell there was something between you. I was even pretty sure that you didn't realize it was there. I remembered what an ass you can be Sebastian. I decided to force your hand. I figured it could go one of two ways. Either you'd take what was offered and leave her just like you did me or you'd realize that she was important to you, and maybe you'd finally be grown up enough to do something about it. Maybe you'd even fall in love. I figured I'd enjoy the show either way."

"You are one twisted bitch." Charlie growls.

"Be nice." Duncan admonishes. "It was clear right away that it was going to be the second thing and not first. After that very first kiss… we could all see the passion. We could see that it was way more than physical. As soon as you two had zoned out and were only seeing each other, I cleared the room." She shrugs again. "You're welcome."

"I'm going to kill her," Charlie mutters fiercely, standing. Bass still has her hand, and he pulls her back down to sit beside him.

"Maybe instead of killing her," Monroe is smiling, "we acknowledge that her crazy ass plan kind of worked."

"It did?"

"It did."

Charlie is quiet for a moment, "How so?"

"Even though this was not an ideal first time…"

"You think?" Charlie interrupts with a laugh.

Bass holds a finger to her lips. "Shh. Let me finish." He leans in and kisses her lightly. "Even though this was not an ideal first time – I guarantee you two things."

"What two things?" her heart is pounding and she's not even sure why.

"One – though it was our first time, it will assuredly not be our last. I need to be inside you every day for the rest of my life." His tone is confident and sure. His eyes are drilling into her. She can't look away.

"What's the other thing?"

"Well obviously I can't speak for you, but Duncan was right about one thing. I am in love with you. I have been for a long time. I just didn't realize that's what it was until today. Until all this crazy shit happened."

"You love me?"

"Yeah."

"Are you sure?" She grins one of those rare Charlie grins… all teeth and happiness.

Bass leans into her and takes her lips in a searing kiss. "Maybe I can show you just how sure I am."

"Yeah, but I might take a lot of convincing." Her eyes are dancing. She is so beautiful, and he knows now that she is his.

"Challenge accepted, Charlotte." He chuckles into the kiss and soon they are much too busy showing each other just how sure they both are, that this is something real. Something amazing.

Duncan turns and leaves without saying anything more. It's funny really. Everyone knows that she is the only winner in her games… until today. Turns out that once in a while, players have a chance to win too.


End file.
